Radio stage foundation



Oct. 14, 1941. D, v; SINMNGER 2,259,328

' RADIO STAGE'FOUNDATION Filed Feb. 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Orv/am" 1/5/NN/N6EE.

mil M ATTORNEY.

Oct. 14, 1941. D. SINNINGER r 2 RADIO STAGE FOUNDATION Filed Feb. 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DW/GHT VS/NN/NGEQ.

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 14, 1941. D,\ SINNIN R 2,25Q,32a

RADIO STAGE FOUNDATION Filed Feb. 25, 19:59- 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. DWIGHT K fim/w/vafie ATTORNEY.

o 1- D. v. SINNINGER 2 RADIO STAGE FOUNDATION Filed Feb. 25, 1939 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 14, 1941 S: PATENT OFFICE mmro STAGE FOUNDATION Dwight V. Simiinger,

Chicago, 111.; assignor tov Johnson Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois,

Application February 25, 1939, Serial No. 258,560

Claims.

My invention pertains to stage foundations forv radio purposes and tube sockets adapted therefor, by which the sockets combined with metal mounting plates and improved capacitor plates forming a part of the invention, provide compact, effective and versatile stage foundations, containing in most compactform not only insulating supports for 'the tubes employedandconnection clips for separable engagement with the prongs of the tubes, but also closely associated by-pass capacitors, as well as connection plates, without the use of connecting wires and without changing in any way the construction of the sockets or capacitor plates, since the latter are so made as to be capable of assembly in geous for ultra high frequencies, for example,

frequencies of 50 megacycles and higher. a

The socket portion of the stage foundation is made preferably 'of ceramic material, although other materials such phenyl condensation products and resins either natural 'or.synthetic may also be used, and in fact any material may be used that is susceptible ofbeing molded or formed in the shape described and which has the electrical properties requisite for successful operation under the particular conditions in any case.

The invention also includes a novel construction of socket clip for separable engagement with a terminal prong of the tube, by which the prong is invariably positively but at the same time yieldingly engaged by the clip when a tube is in place in the socket by rotary movement of the tube, which clip construction at the same time provides for said positive engagement even when the terminal prongs of the tubes are out of extending radially from the body portions of the tubes. Furthermore, by the. invention the conductive path through'the socket, clip is maintained substantially constant, whether the pron engagement therewith is normal or is displaced either axially or angularly of the tube from normal position, said conductive path invariably being the shortest and most direct path possible from the position of prong engagement therewith clip.

The above and other objects and advantages I of my invention will more clearly appear in connection with the several drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, as follows:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the socket portion of my stage foundation, to an enlarged scale,

Figfi2 is a bottom 'view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, Y Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line 3-3,

Fig.4 is a plan view of the socket illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and'3, equipped with contact clips and in place on a mounting plate to constitute my improved stage foundation,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the capacitor plates constituting a part of my stage foundation, .Fig. 6 is .a side view of; the capacitor plate shown in Fig. '5, V

Fig. '7 is a schematic circuit drawing illustrating one use of my improved stage foundation, g Fig. 8 shows in plan view a second capacitor plate of the construction shown in Fig. 5, but

in the position in which it is assembled to constitute a part of the stage foundation illustrated in Fig. 4,

tional views through the stage foundation taken along lines 9-9, |0l0 and Il-ll in Fig. 4,

Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 are respectively a plan view, a left-hand side view, a right-hand side view, and a lower end view to a further enlarged scale of one of the connection clips used as a part of the socket,

Figs. 16' and 1'7 show in views similar to Fig. 15, one of the connection clips witha' tube prong in its position of entry and in its position of normal engagement with the connection clip respectively, and

Figs. 18 and 19 show respectively in views similar to Fig. 13, the engagement of one of the 45. connection clips by a tube prong that is in lower than normal position in'Fig. 18 and higher than normal position in Fig. 19.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

60 As shown in Figs. 1-3 inclusive, I illustratethe flat insulating base III of my socket construction as provided with a central clearance aperture II for clearing the mid-portion of the body of the ,tube to be used with the socket, the upper face of the base being provided with a recess. at

to the hook-up conductor' connected with the Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are respectively vertical, sec- 7 the holes l3, l4,

' l4- being preferably sufllciently holes l5, l6 and I1, so that eyelets maybe em described, the base is openings l3 and I9 to a guard preventing the insertion of are oppositely disposed to illustrated, which will size of the socket and is'preferably of the upper end or the opening II to receive the annular bead formed around the mid-portion of the bodies of thermionic tubes or the acorn type. The upper end of the base I as illustrated in Fig. 1 is provided with holes l3 extending through it for mounting first connector clips on thebase andsimiiar-holes l4 are provided through the lower end portion of the base for mounting second connector clips thereon. Additional holes l5 and I6 are provided through the side portions of the base and an additional hole I 1 is provided through the lower portion of the 'base for any desired general purposes such as mounting the stage foundation, or making desired connections with the mounting plate oreither of the capacitor plates employed; or any other purpose that maybe desired in connection with the particular use to which the stage foundation is put. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each of IS, IS and I1 is provided in the back portion of the base III with an enlarged hexagonal recess, which recesses extend somewhat more than half way through the base, to

receive threaded nuts when it is desired to mount contact lugsor other'parts or apparatus on the base. In practice, I find it convenient to make the holes l5, l6 and I 1 of a diameter to clear a No. 2 machine screw, the holes [3 and larger than-the provided with an outstanding integral portion 20 centrally disposed laterally of the base to form the socket in a position such that the tube prongs what they should be to properly engage the connector clips mounted on the base l0.

The base illustrated in Figs. 1-3 inclusive, as well as the structures shown in Figs. 4-6 inclusive and 8-11 inclusive, areshown to a scale that is substantially twice the full size of the parts clearly indicate the small of the stage foundation of which it is a part, the base I being made as narrow as the openings H and I2 and the necessary strength of the base will permit, .and having a height which is greater than its width by i only the requisite amount to properly secure the connector clips to the base.

In Fig. 4 I illustrate in plan view "a base Iii having first connector clips 2 I, 22 and 23 mounted thereon byeyelets as described and also second connector clips 24 and 25 similarly mounted thereon; In this figure the socket thus formed is shown assecured to a grounded mounting plate 28 by screws 21,. which mounting plate may be a partot a sheet metal chassis or-any other metal mounting plate, to give stable support to the stage foundation. In' this-figure I also show a connector lug 28 secured to the base M by a screw 23, and I also show connectingscrews' 30,

31,32 and 33 extending through the connector clips 3|, 22, 24 and 25 respectivelyfor purposes that will be described; In Figs. and 6, I illustrate a construction 01 a capacitor plate 34 which sheet metal 01' uniform of the same external size and shape as the base l0 and provided with a central opening 35 of the -same size as the opening II in the base 10. The

- plate 34 is additionally provided with top openings 34a and 34b, in alignment with the openings l3 in the base I0, of which the opening 3401s a clearance opening of ample size to clear a No.

2 machine screw, and the openings 34b are threaded openings of proper size to engage connecting screws, for example No. 2 machine screws. In addition the plate 34 is provided with openings 34c and 34d through its lower portion in alignment with the openings l4 and I I through the base ll), of which the openings 340 are clearance openings and the opening 34d is a threaded opening for engagement with a connecting screw. In addition, the plate 34 is provided with openings 34c and 34 through its lefthand side portion as illustrated, for alignment with the'openings l5 through the base, of which the opening 34e is a clearance opening and the opening 34} is a threaded opening for engaging aconnecting screw. In addition, openings 34a 3'! and 38 extending to a suitable source of heater.

a tube in are provided through the right-hand side por-- ,tion of the plate 34 for alignment with the openings 16 through the base l0, both of the openings 34g being clearance openings.

. One use of the stage foundation described is illustrated in connection with the schematic cir. cuit drawing shown in Fig. 7 in which a pentode thermionic tube is illustrated, which is provided with a heater filament 36 connected with wires current, a cathode 39 connected with a'resistor 40 in parallel with a by-pass capacitor having an active plate 34 and a. grounded plate connected with the other terminal of the resistor 40, said cathode also being connected with the suppressor rid 4! of the tube; said tube also includes a control grid 42 connected with an input conductor 43, and a screen grid 44 connected with the active plate 45 of a by-pass capacitor, th other plate of which is grounded, the capacitor plate 45 also being connected with a conductor 46 for supplying proper voltage to the screen grid 44; in addition, the tube includes a plate 41" connected with an output conductor 48. Any suitable coupling devices may obviously be employed ment, a capacitor plate 34 being suitably-insulated from the mounting plate,

.the plate 45' the plate 34,

and in addition a second capacitor plate 45 positioned as shown in Fig. 8 is mounted below the mounting plate 26 and insulated therefrom, in line with the base i0. and the capacitor plate 34, being identical in construction with the only diiference being its angular disposition relatively to the plate 34, for as will be observed, the. plate 45 is turned from the position illustrated for the plate 34. For the construction of stage foundation described, and

referring to Figs. 9, 10 and-ll, it will be observed that the connector clip 24 is electrically connected by the screw 32 with the capacitor plate 45, and that the connector clip 2| iselectrically connected by the screw 30.1with the mounting plate 26. The clip 24 is the one makingiiconnection withithe device used to secure the clip to the base I of screen grid in the thermionic tube, as a result of which the screw 32 effects the connection illustrated in Fig. 7 between the screengrid. and the active plate 45, of the corresponding by pass capacitor. It will also be'observed that the clip 2| is connectedwith one of the heater prongs of the tube, as a result of which the screw 30 makes electrical connection between the heater and the mounting plate 26, or in other words grounds the heater circuit as illustrated in Fig. 7. In Fig. 10 the screw 21 is shown as having threaded engagement with the mounting plate 26, but having no electrical: connection with any other part of the circuit or apparatus, orin other words the screw- 21 is one of the screws used to securely hold, the

said folded'portion is spaced above and substantially parallel with the base or floor of the clip,

I to leave ample room for an inturned end portion stage foundation in place on the mounting plate 26, without serving any other function. The

screw 3| extends through the clip 22, which is the clip for connection with the cathod of the tube and by having'threaded engagement with the capacitor plate 34, the result is that the cathode of the tube is electrically connected with the active plat 34 of the by-pass capacitor, the other plate of which is the mounting plate 26 which is grounded and therefore erves to ground the bypass circuit around the resistor 40. As shown in Fig. 11 the clip 25 is connected by the screw 33 with the plate 34, and since th clip 25 is for connection with the suppressor grid prong of the tube, the suppressor grid is connected with the active plate 34 of the corresponding by-pass capacitoras required by Fig. 7. As shown in Fig.

ll, the screw 29 connects a c'onnector lug 28 with the-capacitor plate 45, thereby making an electrical connection between the screen grid Mi and the connector lug 28 to facilitate the connection of the wire 46 with the screen grid of the tube.

It will be noted that each of the capacitor plates 34 and 45 has two working positions relatively to the base I0, when facing the observer as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, and that it has two, additional positions when turned over to its re-' verse position, thus afiording four positions of use for each of said. plates for any one position of use of the other of said plates, which provides for many possible set-ups of the circuit wiring, without making any structural changes whatever in the capacitor plates, the disposition of the clearance and threaded openings through the be understood of course that in any particular case. the mounting plate. which isthe. round plate of the two capacitors, is provided with suitable clearance openings and threaded openings,

as the case maybe, to cooperate with the particular set-up employed, so that results may be se- '2Id which extends between the base or floor of the clip and the outermost part 'of the folded portion 2| c, the inner end of the part lid) being near but spaced from the vertical end wall Zle of the folded portion 2lc which supports said folded portion from the base of the clip. The base of the clip at its edge remote from the wall Me of the folded portion, is provided with a downwardly projecting. lug ill] for engagement with one of the openings [8 or l9, depending on how the clip is mounted 'on the base of the socket, to restrain the connector clip from angular movement on the said base. The inner portion lid of the folded away from the floor of the clip, as shown in Fig.

16, which represents the entry position of a prong #ll'between the floor of theclip and th lower part Zld of the folded portion of the clip. This results in raising the entire folded portion of the clip when the prong is entered under the folded portion thereof, and continued rotation of the tube moves the prong 41 until it reache its normal terminal position indicated in Fig. 17, at which time it rests against the wall Zleof the folded portionof the clip and under the inner end of the part 2m, thus relieving the outer part of the folded portion from the greater part of the lifting effort and correspondingly raising th inner end cured inany case, in the manner illustrated in Figs. 9-11 inclusive.

Each of the connector clips employed on the socket for eparable engagement with the radial prongs of the tubes, is preferably constructed as shown in Figs. 12-15 inclusive, for the connector clip 2|, The clipillustrated is made from thin spring sheet metal, for example phosphor bronze,

and includes a flat base portion having an opening Zla to receive the eyelet or other fastening of the portion 2ld so that the inclined condition thereof relatively to the floor of the clip, will tend gularly, resulting from variance in tube manufacture, since for any position of the prong between its entry position indicated in Fig. lfi and its normal position of engagement indicated in Fig. 17, the prong will be positively engaged by the connector clip, and in a manner in each case to make good electrical connection between the prong and the floor of the connector clip.

By referring to Fig. 12, it will be noted that the folded portion Zlc is substantially spaced from the terminal lug Zlb, and also that the lug 2| is narrower than the folded portion 2| c, said lug being in line with said folded portion at its lower edge. This spacing of the folded portion is made use of by providing the floor of the clip with a. substantially cut-out part at 2lg and a second cut-out portion at 2m, forming a neck 2| between said cut-out portions, which is of sufiiciently reduced width to constitute a flexibleconnection between; the body portion of the clip and the folded portion Zlc. In

Fig. 18 a condition is illustrated in which a prong 41a of the tube used with the socket, is lower than the other prongs, so that the folded portion 2lc of the clip 2| is depressed below its but this is readily taken care of by i might otherwise result portions of the clip, which edge is prong is oxidized, as

dation.

are usually symmetrically 1 a vertical axis when ing the contact clips result of which, from the tube may be connected with the contact clips- I end of the tube into theaperture H in the ing the clip 2| in each case on a thin washer 48, in securing the clip to the base to of the socket. For this position of the parts, the folded portion 21c of the clip will be separated somewhat more fromiits base portion than if the prong "a were in normal position vertically,

, the construction of the folded portion of the clip, and in any event the prong 41a is in good electrical contact at its tip with the floor of the clip, as a result of being pressed firmly downward by the lower, outer edge portion of the part Zld of the clip. On the other hand, where a tube prong 41b is above its normal position as illustrated in Fig. 19, the folded portion 2lc of the clip, is raised above the position illustrated in Fig. 13, but for this condition of the parts, the

outer edge portion of the floor of the clip still in good electrical contact with the prong 41!; because of being held firmly in engagement therewith by the pressure of the folded portion lldi downwardly on the end ofthe prong, so

that in any case. the electrical path from the prong to= the'central mounting portion of the clip 2| is through the floor of the clip and for substantially the same distance, thus eliminating possible changes in inductive efiect which from changed paths of flow of the current for different conditions of contact between the tube prongs and the conthe connector clips.

contact between a tube prong and a contact clip described, is preferably insured by providing a cutting edge Zllc on the outer edge portion of the part 2ld and extendingtowards the floor of effective where the tube is frequently the case, in

Positive Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: Y Y

1. A socket for use at ultra-high frenuencies for tubes having radial connector prongs, in-- cluding in combination a mounting plate and a plurality oQclip constructions, each of said clip constructions having a prong-engaging portion for engaging a tube prong by rotary movement of the tube and having also a mounting portion for attaching the clip construction to said mounting plate, each of said prong-engaging portions beingspaced from said mounting plate and the connection between each of said prong-engaging portions and the cdrresponding mounting a portion being rigid in the direction of movement of the tube prong into engagement with the prong-engaging portion and flexible in the direction axially of the rotary movement to enable said prong-engaging portions to accommodate irregularities axially in the position of the tube prongs.

2. A socket for use at ultra-high frequencies for tubes having radial connector prongs, includingoin combination a mounting plate and a plurality of clip constructions, each of said clip constructions having a prong-engaging portion for engaging a tube prong by rotary movement of the tube and having also 'a mounting portion for attaching the clip construction to said cutting or breaking through the oxide coating 1 and -making good electrical contact with the metal of the tube prong.

*In Fig. 10 a tube of the acorn type is illustrated inoplace in the stage foundation at 4-9; to show the relation between the radialprongs 49a and the It will be noted that the prongs of acorn tubes a tube is in'place engagillustrated in Fig. 4, as a the construction described,

' nected in the hook-upused, which is an advantage in some cases.

connectorclips of the stage foundisposed relatively to 7 From the above it will be seen that my in-' vention provides an improved stage foundation construction which mounts the essential parts of a radio stage in exceedingly small compass and without the use of connecting wiring, with all of the advantages incident to a self-contained structure in which all of the parts are held in fixed position relatively to each other, and furthermore that the capacitor plates constructed as described are anovel part of the invention those above described. 'It will also be understood that the socket construction described, as

well as the novel form of connector clips illustrated, are susceptible of many uses and are an important part of the invention disclosed whether and; may be used-for many purposes other than mounting plate, each of said prong-engaging portions being spaced from said mounting plate and the connection between each of said prong-engaging portions and the corresponding mounting portion being integral therewith and of reduced width to render said connection flexible in-the direction axially of the rotary movement.

3. A socket for use at; ultra-highfrequencies for tubes having radial connector prongs, including in combination a mounting plate and a plurality of clip constructions, each of said clip constructions having a prong-engaging portion. for-engaging a tube prong by rotary movement of the tube and having also a mounting portion for attaching the clip construction to said- -;mounting plate, each of said prong-engaging portions being provided, with a cutting edge and being spaced from said mounting plate and the' connection between each of said prong-engaging portions and the corresponding mounting portion being integral therewith and of reduced width to render said connection flexible in the direction axially of the rotary movement.

4, A socket for use at ultra-high frequencies for tubes having'radial connector prongs, including in combination a mounting plate and a plu- .rality of clip constructions, each of said clip constructions having a prong-engaging portion for engaging a tube prong by rotary movement of the tube and having iilso a mounting portion for attaching the clip construction to said mounting plate, each of said prong-engaging portions being spaced from said mounting plate and the connection between each of said prongengaging portions and the corresponding mounting portion being integral therewith and of reduced width to render'said connection flexible Y in the direction axially of the rotary movement,

. each of said clip constructions having an extension protruding in' the direction axially of the rotary movement and engaging said'plate and displacement.

5. A socket for use at'ultra-high frequencies for tubes having radial connector prongs, in-

cluding in combination a flat mounting plate' and a plurality of clip constructiongeach of said clip constructions being an integral structure of sheet metal and portion for engaging a. tube prong movement of the tube and having also a mounting portion and sin/intermediate portion connecting said prong engaging portion and said mounting portion. each of said prong-engaging portions being relatively free to move axially of having a prong-engaging by rotary irregularities in the position of axially 01 said rotary movement.

said rotary'movement, the base of said prongengaging Portion being in contact with the corresponding tube prong for any operative position oi the tube; and said base, said intermediate portion and said mounting portion being in a single plane adJacent to and substantially parallel with said mounting plate, each ofsaid intermediate portions being rigid in the direction of said rotary movement and relativelyflexible axially of said rotary movement to enable said prong-engaging portions to accommodate the tube prongs a DWIGHT V. SINNINGER. 

